In Speaking I Caus'd My Canoo To Draw As Neer The Shoare As Could Bee, That
I Might The Better Discern Thos I Talked With; & Finding It Was Young
Guillem That Comanded The Shipp, I Was Very Glad Of It, For I Was
Intimately Acquainted With Him.
As soon as hee knew mee hee invited me
ashore.
I came accordingly, & wee imbraced each other. Hee invited me on
board his shipp to treat me. I would not seem to have any distrust, but
having precaution'd myself went along with him. I caus'd my 3 men to come
out of my canoo & to stay ashore with 2 Englishmen whilest I went on board
with the Captain. I see on board a New England man that I knew very well.
Before I enter'd the shipp the Captain caused English coullers to bee set
up, & as soon as I came on board some great Gunns to bee fir'd. I told him
it was not needfull to shoot any more, fearing least our men might bee
allarm'd & might doe him some mischief. Hee proposed that wee might
Traffick together. I told him I would acquaint our other officers of it, &
that I would use my endeavor to get their consent that hee should pass the
winter wher hee was without receaving any prejudice, the season being too
far past to bee gon away. I told him hee might continue to build his House
without any need of fortifications, telling him I would secure him from any
danger on the part of the Indians, over whom I had an absolute sway, & to
secure him from any surprize on my part. I would before our parting let him
know with what number of men I would bee attended when I came to visit him,
giving him to understand that if I came with more then what was agreed
betwixt us, it would bee a sure signe our officers would not consent unto
the proposal of our trading together. I also advised him hee should not
fier any Gunns, & that hee should not suffer his men to goe out of the
Island, fearing they might bee met by the french men that I had in the
woods, that hee might not blame me for any accident that might ensue if hee
did not follow my advice. I told him also the salvages advised mee my shipp
was arrived to the Northwards, & promiss'd that I would come visit him
againe in 15 days & would tell him farther. Wherof hee was very thankfull,
& desired me to bee mindfull of him; after which wee seperated very well
sattisfy'd with each other, hee verily beleeving I had the strenght I spake
of, & I resolving always to hold him in this opinion, desiring to have him
bee gone, or if hee persisted to interrupt me in my trade, to wait some
opportunity of seizing his shipp, which was a lawfull Prize, having no
Commission from England nor france to trade. But I would not attempt
anything rashly, for fear of missing my ayme; especially I would avoide
spilling blood.
Being returned with my men on board my Canoo, wee fell down the River with
what hast wee could; but wee were scarce gon three Leagues from the Island
where the new England shipp lay, but that wee discovered another shipp
under saile coming into the River. Wee got ashore to the southwards, &
being gon out of the Canoo to stay for the shipp that was sailing towards
us, I caused a Fier to bee made; & the shipp being over against us, shee
came to Anchor & sent not her Boat ashore that night untill next morning.
Wee watched all night to observe what was don, & in the morning, seeing the
long boat rowing towards us, I caused my 3 men, well armed, to stand at the
entrance into the wood 20 paces from me, & I came alone to the water side.
Mr Bridgar, whom the Company sent Governor into that country, was in the
Boate, with 6 of the crew belonging unto the shipp wherof Capt Guillam was
Commander, who was father, as I understood afterwards, unto him that
Comanded the New England shipp that I had discover'd the day before. Seeing
the shallopp come towards me, I spake a kinde of jargon like that of the
salvages, which signify'd nothing, only to amuse those in the boat or to
make them speake, the better to observe them, & to see if there might bee
any that had frequented the Indians & that spak their Languadge. All were
silent; & the boat coming a ground 10 or 12 paces from me, seeing one of
the seamen leap in the water to come a shore, I showed him my wepons,
forbidding him to stirr, telling him that none in the Boate should come a
shore untill I knew who they were; & observing by the make of the shipp &
the habit of the saylors that they were English, I spake in their
Languadge, & I understood that the seamen that leapt in the water which I
hinder'd to proceed any farther said aloud, "Governor, it is English they
spake unto you;" & upon my continuing to ask who they were who comanded the
shipp, & what they sought there, some body answer'd, "What has any body to
doe to inquire? Wee are English." Unto which I reply'd, "And I am French,
and require you to bee gon;" & at the same instant making signe unto my men
to appeare, they shewed themselves at the entrance of the wood. Those of
the shallop thinking in all likelyhood wee were more in number, were about
to have answer'd me in mild terms & to tell me they were of London, that
the shipp belong'd unto the Hudson Bay Company, & was Comanded by Capt
Guillem. I inform'd them also who I was; that they came too late, & that I
had taken possession of those parts in the name & behalf of the King of
ffrance.
There was severall other things said, which is not needfull heere to
relate, the English asserting they had right to come into thos parts, & I
saying the contrary; but at last Mr Bridgar saying hee desired to come
ashore with 3 of his crew to embrace me, I told him that I should bee very
well sattisfy'd. Hee came a shore, & after mutuall salutations, hee asked
of me if this was not the River Kakiwakionay.
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